The 2025 Formula 1 season is only a few weeks away. At the end of February, all ten teams will return to the Bahrain International Circuit for pre-season testing, with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix scheduled to take place on March 16.
Over the next few weeks SP Nation It will prepare you for what could be a fantastic 2025 Formula 1 season, the last season before the sport undergoes a series of changes for 2026. Next year will see Audi join the grid as a works operation – replacing Sauber – Cadillac joining the sport as the 11th team, A whole new set of technical regulations were enacted.
Today’s topic? Where each driver stands in relation to the penalty points on their FIA Super Licence.
What are FIA ​​penalty points?
As with your road driving licence, Formula 1 drivers work under an FIA Super licence, which they can obtain based on results in lower categories.
In an effort to enhance safety on the track, and keep drivers in line, penalty points on the aforementioned super license are among the potential penalties that race stewards can hand out for violations. Penalty points are reserved for more serious incidents, such as causing an accident or violating the rules regarding yellow and/or red flags.
If a driver reaches 12 penalty points on his or her FIA licence within a period of one calendar year, a one-race ban will be imposed. Last season, Kevin Magnussen missed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after accumulating enough penalty points to trigger a one-race ban at the previous race, the Italian Grand Prix.
Penalty points remain on a premium driving license for one calendar year, after which they expire.
Which F1 drivers have penalty points until 2025?
Heading into the 2025 Formula 1 season, there are 12 drivers who have at least one penalty point on their FIA Super Licence.
One of these drivers is the current Drivers’ Champion, and the driver most at risk of a single-race ban.
Max Verstappen
Eight penalty points
Max Verstappen may have won his fourth consecutive drivers’ championship last year, but he enters 2025 as the driver most at risk of a single-race penalty. Verstappen has eight penalty points on his SuperLicence, and with the first two not expiring until the end of June, Verstappen will need to get through the first 11 race weekends without picking up an additional four penalty points.
- 2 points: The oldest of Verstappen’s two penalty points expires on June 30, 2025. They were awarded when race officials determined that Verstappen caused a collision with Lando Norris at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.
- TWO POINTS: Verstappen earned another two points at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, when race officials ruled he forced Lando Norris off the track. Expires October 27, 2025.
- 1 POINT: Verstappen received a 1-point penalty at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, when he underperformed the minimum during a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) during the Formula 1 Sprint Race. This point expires on November 1, 2025.
- 1 point: Verstappen was handed a one-point penalty for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix when race officials decided he was driving unnecessarily slowly on a cool-down lap. This penalty point expires on December 1, 2025.
- TWO POINTS: Verstappen collided with Oscar Piastri on the opening lap of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and was hit with a two-point penalty. It expires on December 8, 2025.
Fernando Alonso
Eight penalty points
Max Verstappen is not the only driver on eight points to start the 2025 Formula 1 season, with veteran Fernando Alonso also entering the year with eight penalty points on his Premier licence.
However, Alonso is much closer to seeing the oldest of those points expire.
- THREE POINTS: Alonso was hit with a three-point penalty for “potentially dangerous driving” during the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. Race officials determined that in the closing stages, while Mercedes driver George Russell was trying to chase Alonso down the track, Alonso entered Turn 6 “erraticly,” The resulting dirty air behind him caused Russell to lose control and crash. These three points expire on March 24, 2025.
- Three points: Alonso received a three-point penalty for causing a collision with Carlos Sainz Jr. during the Formula 1 Sprint Race at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. These three points expire on April 20, 2025.
- TWO POINTS: Alonso was found guilty of causing a collision with Zhou Guanyu at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, and was given a two-point penalty. These points expire on June 30, 2025.
Lance outing
Four penalty points
- 2 points: Lance Stroll received a 2-point penalty for causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. It expires on 21 April 2025.
- 2 points: Stroll was also hit with a two-point penalty for causing a collision with Alexander Albon at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. These two points expire on December 1, 2025.
Nico Hulkenberg
Four penalty points
Veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg has a new home for 2025, moving to Sauber before that team becomes an Audi works operation in 2026.
He brings with him four penalty points, along with years of experience.
- TWO POINTS: Hulkenberg received a two-point penalty at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix for causing a collision with Fernando Alonso. These points expire on June 30, 2025.
- 2 points: Hulkenberg was handed a two-point penalty for causing a collision with Yuki Tsunoda at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. It expires on 1 December 2025.
Oscar Piastri
Four penalty points
Oscar Piastri enters the 2025 season with four penalty points on his FIA Super licence
- 2 points: Piastri was hit with two penalty points when race officials ruled he had caused a collision with Liam Lawson during the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. These points expire on 2 November 2025.
- TWO POINTS: Piastri was also ruled to have caused a collision with Franco Colapinto during the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and was given a two-point penalty. These points expire on December 8, 2025.
Esteban Ocon
Three penalty points
Similar to Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon has a new home for 2025 as he moves from Alpine to Haas.
He will bring with him three penalty points to his new team.
- 1 POINT: During the F1 Sprint Race at the Miami Grand Prix, Ocon was given a 1 point penalty for launching unsafely into the pit lane. This point expires on May 4, 2025.
- TWO POINTS: Race officials determined that Ocon caused a collision with then-teammate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. These two points will expire on May 26, 2025, and the crash may have ended his tenure in the Alps.
Lando Norris
Three penalty points
Lando Norris enters the 2025 season aiming for his first Drivers’ Championship. But he also has three penalty points on his super license due to an incident at the Qatar Grand Prix.
- Three points: Race officials ruled that Norris failed to slow down for the double yellow flag during the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. As well as a ten-second penalty – which dropped him from second place to the back of the field, although he recovered to finish tenth – He was given a three-point penalty. These three points expire on December 1, 2025.
Oliver Berman
Two penalty points
Superdiver Oliver Biermann has secured a full-time seat at Haas for next year, thanks in part to some impressive performances last season. But he will enter the year with a pair of penalty points on his FIA Super licence.
- 2 points: Biermann received a 2-point penalty for causing a collision with Franco Colapinto during the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. These points expire on 2 November 2025.
Alexander Albon
Two penalty points
- TWO POINTS: Alexander Albon was handed a two-point penalty at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, when race officials ruled he had caused a collision with Kevin Magnussen. These points expire on December 1, 2025.
Liam Lawson
Two penalty points
Liam Lawson has earned a promotion to Red Bull for the 2025 season, replacing Sergio Perez. However, he started the year with a pair of penalty points on his FIA Super Licence.
- 2 points: Lawson received a 2-point penalty for causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas during the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. These points expire on 1 December 2025.
Carlos Sainz Jr
One penalty point
Carlos Sainz Jr. heads to Williams for the 2025 season, with one point on the FIA ​​SuperLicence.
- ONE POINT: Sainz was hit with a one-point penalty for the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, when race officials ruled he caused a collision with Oscar Piastri. This point expires on May 5, 2025.
George Russell
One penalty point
- 1 POINT: Race officials gave George Russell one penalty point for failing to maintain an appropriate distance behind the safety car during the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
Which F1 drivers have a clean slate heading into 2025?
Seven of the drivers on the grid to start the 2025 season have a clean record. Among them are a handful of new starters, as well as some veterans.
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli
- Gabriel Bortoletto
- Jack Doohan
- Pierre Gasly
- Lewis Hamilton
- Charles Leclerc
- Yuki Tsunoda
Do any inactive drivers have penalty points due before 2025?
There are also five drivers who may not be on the grid when 2025 starts, but have some points remaining on their FIA Super license that has not yet expired.
Valtteri Bottas
Five penalty points
Valtteri Bottas returns to Mercedes as a reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season. However, he currently has five points on his FIA Super Licence.
- Three points: Bottas had an eventful Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He received a three-point penalty for causing a collision with Kevin Magnussen. These three points expire on December 8, 2025.
- Two points: Bottas received two additional penalty points in Abu Dhabi, for causing a collision with Sergio Perez. These also expire on December 8, 2025.
Daniel Ricardo
Three penalty points
- 2 points: Daniel Ricciardo received a 2-point penalty for overtaking Nico Hulkenberg under safety car conditions at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. These points expire on 21 April 2025.
- 1 point: In another incident involving Hulkenberg, Ricciardo was ruled to have been forced off the track at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix. This point expires on 1 September 2025.
Logan Sargent
Two penalty points
Logan Sargeant lost his seat at Williams in mid-2024, and although a return to Formula 1 may not be on the cards, he has two points on his FIA Super License.
- TWO POINTS: Sargent received a two-point penalty at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix for overtaking under the safety car. These two points expire on April 21, 2025.
Franco Colapinto
Two penalty points
Franco Colapinto replaced Logan Sargent midway through the 2024 season, and will head to the Alps as a reserve for 2025.
He also brings a pair of penalty points with him to his new team.
- TWO POINTS: Colapinto received a two-point penalty at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix for causing a collision with Liam Lawson. These points expire on October 27, 2025.
Sergio Perez
One penalty point
Sergio Perez lost his seat at Red Bull this winter, and although he may return to the grid in the future, he has a point on his FIA Super License before 2025.
- 1 point: Perez received a 1-point penalty at the 2024 Saudi Grand Prix for an unsafe release. This penalty point expires on March 8, 2025.
